


Unfamiliar Emotions

by Petri808



Series: Inuyasha Short Stories & One Shots [21]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: 16th birthday, Birthday Party, F/M, Family, Family Drama, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-16 23:15:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16504670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Petri808/pseuds/Petri808
Summary: Written for Inuvember 2018.  Kagome is throwing a party for Rin's 16th birthday when the two brothers come close to blows over Rin and Kohaku's budding relationship.





	Unfamiliar Emotions

Tense was an understatement at the Taisho family home, but she was determined to make damn sure the two brothers didn’t mess up this party for Rin’s birthday.  Kagome banked on their shared love for the child, Inuyasha having taken the role of doting uncle, and Sesshomaru as the father to a daughter he may not have created but cherished as his own.  She herself was like an adoptive mother, caring for the girl no differently than how she treated her own children, Shippo, even Kohaku to some extent.

Unfortunately, since no one knew Rin’s real birthday, they had simply chosen a date during a season the child reminded them so much of.  So, filled with warmth and vitality, it was as if she radiated Spring blossoms and cozy sun-kissed skies.  How ironic that while her name was often translated as cold or severe, when this child was the complete opposite.  To have been born into poverty and suffered through so much heartache in the first few years of her life, yet to still come out with the personality she did, Rin was a guiding light during darker times.

She had taught Sesshomaru so much about life, love, and family, it was too bad that he and Inuyasha still couldn’t bury the proverbial hatchet… or in this case sword. 

“Keh!” The hanyo jumps to his feet and crosses his arms, “I hope I’m never stuck with you on a deserted island!”

But his elder brother simply smirks, taunting the half yokai further, “what difference would it make? I’d much rather not talk to you now, and that fact wouldn’t change on some fictional island you speak of.”

“You know if you don’t give a damn about family, why the hell are you here?  We’re the ones taking care of Rin now, she’s more our ward than yours at this point.”

“Shut that mouth of yours now you, insolent half-breed!” the yokai’s eyes change to red, hand on his hilt. “You damn well know why it is safer for her to remain in this village.  I have many responsibilities to attend to and a price on my head as the reigning inu taiyokai.”

Inuyasha cracks his claws as his brother and flashes his own fangs, “maybe I should usurp our father’s title from you.”

“Boys!  This is not the time and place for you two to be fighting!” Kagome looks over to Rin for a quick check and once satisfied that the 16-year-old is engrossed in a conversation with Kohaku, she lights up her hand in the pink glow of her miko powers, “keep it up and I’ll purify both of you, so you stay settled for the remainder of the party!”

With a deep huff, Inuyasha folds his arms into his robes and plops back into a sitting position on the ground while Sesshomaru sits as well, but without the verbal or visual exasperations of his hot-headed brother, and stare in opposite directions.  A strained space surrounds the pair but otherwise, the silence tells Kagome they’ve complied, and she leaves them to finish up lunch. 

Once she is out of ear shot, the hanyo mumbles under his breath, “I still hope I never get stranded with you on a deserted island.”

“What is your obsession with this barren island?  I just don’t understand how your brain works sometimes.”

“The point is not the island, it’s the fact I’d never want to be stuck anywhere with just you for company.”

“Then we will agree that we do not disagree.”

Again, silence fills the void between them as the day slowly passes by, lunch, the giving of gifts, and a special dessert that Rin loves is passed out amongst the gathered party guests. Ever the vigilant protectors, the two men never fully taking their eyes, or ears off the child’s whereabouts. With the party winding down, Kagome sits beside her hanyo husband for an earned break.

“Tell me something lady Kagome,” Sesshomaru addresses his sister-in-law, “Kohaku and Rin have grown quite close it seems, but is there more that I should be aware of?”

“Well they are the closest in age here and went through a lot together, so it would only be natural that they would be.”

“You are trying to avoid my question.”

“I am not sure what you are asking me Lord Sesshomaru.”   

“I have noticed them holding hands several times today, are they in a, what would a human call it, a relationship?”

“Well…” she tips her head slightly, “you could call it that.”

Incensed, the normally stone-faced yokai grows and turns to his brother, “Did you know about this half-breed!  You said you were watching over my daughter, but your woman here is allowing this!”

“You’re dead wrong if you think I liked the idea!” Inuyasha spat back and mocked the elder, “this is, how did you put it, _‘we agree that we do not disagree.’_   “But I fear my wife more than I fear you.” 

With his eyes transforming to red, he stands with hand on his hilt, “This Sesshomaru has not given any boy permission to be Rin’s mate!”

By now, Kagome had realized that for the yokai, a ‘ _relationship’_ meant something far more advanced than what was actually going on, Kagome flies into protective mode.  First, she halts her husband who has jumped to his feet ready to tussle with his brother, then waves her hands in a sweeping motion.  “No-No, they aren’t doing that!  I promise you Lord Sesshomaru, what you see happening right now like holding hands, and maybe kissing is all they’ve done.  Even I feel she is still too young for anything more, but Kohaku is very respectful, he wouldn’t dare do anything that may hurt her.”

Her argument is enough to stop Sesshomaru’s forward movement.  He takes his hand off his hilt and his eyes revert to normal, “Be forewarned miko,” a growl still in his tone, “you know what will happen if he does anything to her.”

“Of course, of course,” Kagome bows, “and I’m sure Kohaku is well aware of what you are capable of.”

Unbeknownst to the trio, Rin had overheard the conversation and was ready to step in, but once she saw that Kagome had managed to calm her father, walks over to sit beside him. She leans against his mokomoko, “my Lord, are you okay?”

He sighs, “These new emotions are a very uncomfortable notion.”

Rin just chuckles since she’s so used to his way by now, “all you need to understand is that Kohaku makes me happy.”

“Your safety is what is most important to me.”

She looks up at her father, “you’ve seen what Kohaku was capable of in his youth, and he’s only continued with his training since.  He really is a perfect match for me.”

And that is when the very stoic taiyokai, who almost never, ever showed weakness shocks them all.  He cradles his face in one hand, his voice cracking with trepidation, “please do not mention such future events, Sesshomaru requires more time to process this stuff!”      

“You’ll be fine,” Rin hugs her father, causing even more jaws to drop, “my strong, taiyokai father can handle anything.”

Off to the side, Inuyasha is bursting at the seams wanting to break out laughing.  To see his elder being controlled by a human girl was almost too much, but Kagome punches his side and gives him a don’t you dare look. As the couple bickers through mouthed words, they failed to notice that Rin had already left her father to return to Kohaku’s side. 

“Inuyasha?”

“Huh?”  The hanyo stops and turns his head back to his brother, “What?”

“This island you keep speaking of, where is it located?”

“Why?”

“Because if you fail to protect my daughter’s honor, I will relocate you and the boy’s bodies to it!!”


End file.
